We pulled in here and were able to drive right on in. At the refuge, you drive on a 3-mile loop around the park where you’ll see native plant and animal life. We spent a lot of time in a prairie dog town snapping photos of the prairie dogs as they stuck their heads out of their holes. The refuge also maintains a herd of about 350 bison which can be seen and photographed from the comfort of your car. At one point, we stopped and my wife was snapping pictures of some bison nearby when suddenly one ran 10 feet in front of the car! A bit north of the main entrance to the refuge, there is a turn-off for a scenic overlook--and this shouldn’t be missed if you are there. From this overlook you can take in a view of the Niobrara river below as well as look off across ranchland stretching as far as the eye can see. Absolutely breathtaking.
We only saw one buffalo, a few horses, and a ton of adorable little prairie dogs! I'm sure there is more wildlife to see but we spent most of our time hiking the loop around Fort Falls. The hike was about a mile long and pretty strenuous. You can hike down to see the falls and then back up without taking the loop. However, that part of the hike, while fairly short, is very steep! Once you get past the falls you continue down to the Niobrara River and then loop up and around till you finish the loop back up at the parking lot. There are lots of signs along the way explaining all the nature, ecosystem, etc that make up the area. . Very interesting ! The trail is pretty narrow and overgrown in parts. There is a ton of poison ivy/oak along the way! Be careful! It was a fun hike, but it was pretty steep & strenuous for the beginner.
We enjoyed being up close with the buffalo and the waterfall is a short hike. The veiws are very scenic as well. Well worth the time.
Although, I didn't see any wildlife, except for two buffalos, and a bunch of prairie dogs, the history was very informative.
Not noisy or rowdy. For those that enjoy nature, pioneer history and getting away from it all I would recommend. The surrounding area has additional attractions of similar ilk
The refuge is part prarieland with buffalo, deer, and other wildlife. Other area's are the Niobrara River that is so much fun to canoe or tube down the river. Waterfalls and plenty of birds to watch along with the animals that hang out on the river.
We had family visiting from Tennessee and the 5 year old wanted to see Fort Falls and the Buffalo. We drove out to Fort Niobrara only to find the the road to the falls locked with a paddle lock and shut gate. First the falls is an area where you drive up get out and walk a short distance to view the falls. There are never guides there it is always just a go look and explore on your own. Due to the government shut down it was decided to make this drive up area not accessible.This was a let down to all especially the five year old.There were also no buffalo in the main exhibit field. We were not sure why but it was very disappointing to the five year old and our guest. So it makes you wonder who the people we elected really care about.
Just passing through the area on a road trip. Nice to get outdoors and stretch our legs. A lovely hike down the stairs to waterfall scenery. Continue along the river. Peaceful, quiet, beautiful. Worth taking the time to hike this short trail.
Although we missed seeing the Elk and Bison we spent over an hour photo'ing the Prairie Dogs and all the wonderful nature scenes. There are so many off shots of the main road we could have been there 4 straight days and not seen all. Although Fort Falls are a walk down numerous stairs it is accessible and breathtaking. A word of warning don't start off the Niobrara River walking trail from the base of the falls unless you plan for a day of hiking because if we hadn't turned around we would have faced about a 10-12 mile walk back to our car.
One of the best ways of seeing the refuge, especially in the fall, is by canoe. Tell your canoe outfitter that this is what you want to do and they will gladly help you out. If that isn't your cup of tea, you can often see buffalo and elk as well as many different song birds on the auto trail loop. This is a wildlife refuge, not a zoo or consumer driven attraction so your sightings are not guaranteed but, if you ask in the visitor center, they can probably help you find the large animals. The prairie dogs, though not universally popular with some local ranchers are easy to find. If you are lucky, you may also see burrowing owls close by the prairie dog town. Hiking the Fort Falls trail is a great activity and you can also check out the scenic overlook of the Niobrara River just east of the refuge turnoff on Hwy 12.